Southwell, Dorset

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Southwell
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Southwell
Location within Dorset
Civil parish
  • Portland
Unitary authority
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Portland
Postcode district DT5
Dialling code 01305
Police Dorset
Fire Dorset and Wiltshire
Ambulance South Western
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Dorset
50°31′46″N2°26′28″W / 50.529460°N 2.441058°W / 50.529460; -2.441058 Coordinates: 50°31′46″N2°26′28″W / 50.529460°N 2.441058°W / 50.529460; -2.441058
Part of Southwell from the High Street roundabout Southwell, Portland from the High Street roundabout.jpg
Part of Southwell from the High Street roundabout

Southwell (pronounced south-well) is a small coastal village in Tophill on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. As Portland and Dorset's southernmost village, it lies between Portland Bill and the villages of Easton and Weston. Though close to the Bill, the village is sheltered by hills on three sides. It is the only village on Portland not to be designated a conservation area. [1] [2]

Contents

The Great Southwell Landslip, named after the village, remains Britain's second largest recorded historical landslide on the east side of Portland, occurring in 1734, between Durdle Pier and Freshwater Bay, at a distance of one and a half miles. [3]

History

Southwell has medieval origins, and was established around a natural watercourse and various springs. It is likely that the Romans developed the village water sources. The various archaeological finds around the village include Iron Age earth defences and Roman stone sarcophagi. The village grew with agricultural industry, and was surrounded by strip fields, also known as lawnsheds. [2] From the 1840s onwards Portland saw a large increase within its population, due to the construction of Portland Harbour's Breakwaters. [4] The island's wells and ponds could not cope, and so in 1890 work began on the digging of a deep shaft at Southwell for a new water supply. The work continued until May 1895, however the shaft was dug too deep, the water turned brackish, and the scheme has to be abandoned. [5] The shaft, 200 feet deep, still remains underground today. [6]

Southwell retained its small community throughout the 19th century. In 1879, the Avalanche Memorial Church, also known as the Church of St Andrew, was built within the village. [7] At the turn of the 20th-century, some of the village's surrounding fields would be destroyed by inland quarrying. [2] Despite this there are remaining examples between the village, and Portland Bill. [8] With the outbreak of World War II, a number of heavy anti-aircraft batteries were constructed to protect Portland's naval base, and Portland's HAA "C Battery" was built to the western outskirts of the village, at Barrow Hill. [9] [10] Following the war, the battery was retained as an Off-Site Nucleus Force Battery, though it was demolished a few years later. [11]

At the beginning of the Cold War, the Admiralty selected Barrow Hill to build a new Admiralty Gunnery Establishment. [12] In 1959 it became part of the Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment (AUWE). [13] The establishment became infamous for the discovery of a Soviet spy ring that operated from the late 1950s until 1961 when the core of the network was arrested by the British security services. [14] The establishment closed in the 1990s when the navy left Portland, and it became the Southwell Business Park in 1997. [15] Throughout the 20th-century Southwell continued to remain a rural community, until the 1960s when major expansion saw many large housing and bungalow estates established. In the 1980s hundreds of starter homes were also built in the village. [16] During 2002–03, both the Sweethill estate and the fields north of Southwell Business Park were developed. [17]

Features

Like many of the other villages on Portland, Southwell has commercial businesses, namely within the Southwell Business Park. Aside from the park, the Eight Kings pub remains the only commercial business within the village. [18] The village had one Primary School, Southwell County Primary School. [19] In the south of the village remains the sewerage pumping station, which was originally built in the late 1980s. [20]

A small part of the Southwell Business Park Southwell Enterprise Park - geograph.org.uk - 719305.jpg
A small part of the Southwell Business Park

The Southwell Business Park is located to the south-west of Southwell village. Once the AUWE site was closed in the 1990s, it then became the successful Southwell Business Park, used for commercial purposes. The park provided employment for almost 500 people and became home to over 100 businesses. [17] In 2010, the park was under new ownership, where Compass Point Estates bought the park from KPMG after going into administrative receivership. [21] In September 2016, part of the site will be home to the Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy's £14 million campus, after an appeal overturned the decision of Weymouth and Portland Borough Council's planning committee to refuse permission for the build at Maritime House. [22] The park is also the site of the Ocean Hotel, once known as the Portland Hotel, the Venue Hotel and the Ocean Hotel and Spa.

Grade listed features

The Avalanche Memorial Church Portland, 'Avalanche' memorial church - geograph.org.uk - 473433.jpg
The Avalanche Memorial Church

Southwell has a number of buildings which are Grade listed buildings. 23 Southwell Street, and the garden wall attached to the west of 47 Southwell Street are Grade II listed. [23] [24] The Avalanche Memorial Church has also Grade II Listed, along with its boundary wall, since September 1978. [25] A small Methodist Chapel, named Southwell Methodist Chapel, dating from 1849, is also Grade II listed. [26]

The surrounding fields between Portland Bill and Southwell are made up of an ancient strip field system. These particular fields remain untouched from housing or quarrying. Aside from the fields attached to the Culverwell Mesolithic Site near Portland Bill, two separate open fields have been also been scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. One of these is located just south of Southwell village. [27]

Related Research Articles

Portland Harbour Port in Dorset, England

Portland Harbour is located beside the Isle of Portland, Dorset, on the south coast of England. Construction of the harbour began in 1849; when completed in 1872, its 520-hectare (1,300-acre) surface area made it the largest man-made harbour in the world, and remains one of the largest in the world today. It is naturally protected by Portland to the south, Chesil Beach to the west and mainland Dorset to the north. It consists of four breakwaters — two southern and two northern. These have a total length of 4.57 km and enclose approximately 1,000 hectares of water.

Portland Bill

Portland Bill is a narrow promontory at the southern end of the Isle of Portland, and the southernmost point of Dorset, England. One of Portland's most popular destinations is Portland Bill Lighthouse. Portland's coast has been notorious for the number of shipwrecked vessels over the centuries. The dangerous coastline features shallow reefs and the Shambles sandbank, made more hazardous due to the strong Portland tidal race.

Fortuneswell Human settlement in England

Fortuneswell is a village in Underhill on the Isle of Portland, in Dorset, England. It lies on steeply sloping land on the northern edge of the island, known as Underhill, where Chesil Beach connects the island to the mainland. Adjoining Fortuneswell are Chiswell to the west and Castletown to the north. Fortuneswell occupies the steeper land above sea level, whereas Chiswell and Castletown occupy flat land close to sea level, next to Chesil Beach and Portland Harbour respectively. Fortuneswell has a main shopping street, and along with Easton, is the main hub of the island's activities.

Easton, Dorset Human settlement in England

Easton is a village on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. The village is situated at Tophill, within the centre of the island. As with the rest of Portland's villages and settlements, Easton, including the settlements Reforne and Straits, has been designated as a conservation area, as it is a place of special architectural and historic interest. Easton, Wakeham and Reforne were designated pre-1974.

Verne High Angle Battery

The Verne High Angle Battery is a former 19th-century gun battery on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. Situated close to the Verne Citadel, the battery is Grade II Listed, and forms part of the citadel's scheduled monument status. The battery has become a tourist attraction, while the battery's tunnels are often referred to by their local name 'Ghost Tunnels'.

Wakeham Human settlement in England

Wakeham is a hamlet near the village of Easton, in Tophill on the Isle of Portland in Dorset, England. It is situated between the Straits part of Easton, and Pennsylvania Castle. As with the rest of Portland's villages and settlements, Wakeham has been designated as a conservation area, as it is a place of special architectural and historic interest. Easton, Wakeham and Reforne were designated pre-1974. The hamlet features a distinctively wide road running through it, once built to allow space for horse-drawn carts transporting stone by road. Many of Wakeham's older buildings of the 17th and 18th century survive.

Weston is a village in Tophill on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It abuts the main village Easton. As with the rest of Portland's villages and settlements, Weston has been designated as a conservation area, as it is a place of special architectural and historic interest. The village was designated in 1994.

Castletown, Dorset Village in Dorset, England

Castletown is a small village in Underhill on the Isle of Portland in Dorset. It is located close to Fortuneswell, on the shores of Portland Harbour, and includes a sandy beach, as well as one of Portland's notable highlights; Portland Castle, while the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is also located nearby.

Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment

The Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment was an Admiralty research department dedicated to underwater detection systems and weapons. It was formed at the Isle of Portland in 1959 and later became part of the Admiralty Research Agency (ARE) in 1984.

The Grove, Portland Human settlement in England

The Grove is a small village located at Tophill on the Isle of Portland in Dorset. The village is found close to the larger village Easton, and is most notable for containing the Youth Offender's Institute HM Prison Portland, including its museum Grove Prison Museum. As with the rest of Portland's villages and settlements, The Grove has been designated as a conservation area, as it is a place of special architectural and historic interest. The village was designated in 1981.

St Andrews Church, Portland Church in Dorset, England

St Andrew's Church is a ruined church located above Church Ope Cove on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. St Andrew's was Portland's first parish church and remained as such until the mid-18th century. It is now one of the island's prime historical sites, and is a Grade II* Listed Building and a Scheduled Monument. The southern retaining wall of the churchyard is also Grade II Listed, as are three remaining churchyard monuments, approximately 7 metres south of the church.

The Old Engine Shed, Portland

The Old Engine Shed is a disused 19th-century shed, once used to house locomotives serving the Admiralty Quarries. The shed overlooks East Weares and is located near The Grove village area, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. It has been a Listed Grade II building since 2001, with English Heritage recording that it is unusual for locomotive sheds from this period to survive in so unaltered a state.

Avalanche Memorial Church Church in Dorset, England

The Avalanche Memorial Church, also known as the Church of St Andrew, is a Church of England church in Southwell, on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It was built in 1879 and remains active as part of the Portland Parish. The church, along with its boundary wall, has been a Grade II Listed building since September 1978.

RAF Portland

RAF Portland is a former Royal Air Force and ROTOR radar station on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. Located close to the Verne Citadel and East Cliff, the station was established in the 1950s as part of a nationwide air defence radar system built by the British Government during the Cold War. The station became a scheduled monument in 2004 and is now the site of the community farm, Fancy's Family Farm.

Grove Lime Kiln Historical industrial site in Dorset, England

Grove Lime Kiln is a disused 19th century lime kiln on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is located close to HM Prison Portland and The Grove village. Owned by the prison service, the lime kiln has been Grade II Listed since 2009.

Southwell Business Park Business park in Dorset, England

Southwell Business Park is a business park on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is housed at the former Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment, which closed in 1995 and became the Southwell Business Park in 1997.

Verne Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery

Verne Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery is a World War II anti-aircraft battery on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is located on private property in the north-east area of the island, south of the Verne Citadel. The battery became a scheduled monument in March 2019.

Southwell Methodist Chapel Chapel in Dorset, England

Southwell Methodist Chapel is a former Methodist chapel on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It is situated within Portland and Dorset's southernmost village Southwell. Established in 1849, it was built between terraced cottages on the east side of the road leading from Southwell to Portland Bill. The chapel closed in 1997 and is now a private residence. It has been Grade II Listed since May 1993.

HMS <i>Osprey</i>, Portland

HMS Osprey was an anti-submarine training establishment located at the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It was active between 1924 and 1941, and again from 1946 to 1999. The helicopter station RNAS Portland formed part of the establishment from 1959 to 1999.

Victoria Square, Portland

Victoria Square is a public square on the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. Developed in the 19th century, it is situated at the entrance to Portland, close to Chesil Beach, Osprey Quay, and the small fishing village of Chiswell.

References

  1. ↑ "Appraisal of the Conservation Areas of Portland". Dorsetforyou.com. Archived from the original on 9 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 December 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ↑ "Quick facts about the Jurassic Coast". Jurassiccoastline.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  4. ↑ "Portland - Portland's Population". Archived from the original on 10 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "Portland Year Book". Archived from the original on 18 July 2008.
  6. ↑ "Southwell Business Park and Atlantic Academy". Geoffkirby.co.uk.
  7. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1281886)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  8. ↑ "Culverwell Area". Geoffkirby.co.uk.
  9. ↑ Historic England. "HEAVY ANTI AIRCRAFT BATTERY PORTLAND 5 (1473260)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  10. ↑ "World War 2". Geoffkirby.co.uk.
  11. ↑ Historic England. "Heavy Anti Aircraft Battery Portland C (1413236)". Research records (formerly PastScape). Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  12. ↑ Legg, Rodney (1999). Portland Encyclopaedia. Dorset Publishing Company. p. 5. ISBN   978-0948699566.
  13. ↑ "Admiralty and Ministry of Defence: Underwater Weapons Establishment, later Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment: Reports and Technical Notes". Discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk.
  14. ↑ "Heritage coast news - Portland spies". Theheritagecoast.co.uk.
  15. ↑ "A Portland Success Story". Dorsetlife.co.uk.
  16. ↑ Morris, Stuart (1985). Portland: An Illustrated History. Dovecote Press. p. 146. ISBN   978-0946159345.
  17. 1 2 "Southwell Business Park". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  18. ↑ "Eight Kings, Portland, Dorset, DT5 2DP - pub details #". Beerintheevening.com. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  19. ↑ "Southwell Community Primary School". Southwell.dorset.sch.uk. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  20. ↑ "Southwell, Portland". Geoffkirby.co.uk. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  21. ↑ "Fresh start for new team at Southwell Business Park (From Dorset Echo)". Dorsetecho.co.uk. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
  22. ↑ "UPDATED: IPACA wins appeal for new £14m campus at Southwell Business Park (From Dorset Echo)". Dorsetecho.co.uk. 13 April 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  23. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1206100)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  24. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1203115)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  25. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1281886)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  26. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1280398)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  27. ↑ Historic England. "Details from listed building database (1002729)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 26 June 2014.
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